We are delighted to welcome some new residents to our home. For one, Mary, just in time for her birthday celebrations. We also have a new Lifestyle and Wellbeing lead, Rachel Eardley.
Welcome to new residents
When someone new joins our home we spend time putting together their “See Me Story”. This is with the help of their family. We ask questions that range from all important care needs, to resident’s life history. Where they grew up? Their family, career, achievements, skills, hobbies and interests? Favourite foods, travel, music taste and activities and routines which bring comfort and joy each day. It allows our team to see the whole person and is an ongoing narrative, so regularly reviewed and updated.
Through conversations with residents and the See Me Stories, our staffing team often recognise similarities with themselves and shared interests. This helps develop those friendship bonds which are so special at West Eaton.
Welcome to Rachel
Our new Lifestyle and Wellbeing lead, Rachel, has been spending time getting to know residents. Rachel’s career was formerly in interior design for luxury fashion stores in London and overseas. She then worked as a creative director for a Leicestershire bakery. She designed the wedding cake for HRH’s William and Kate, which she then built, with a team over 3 days, at Buckingham Palace!
Rachel has already brought her incredible creative flair and enthusiasm to her role at West Eaton. She helped residents hand make daffodil brooches for St David’s Day and stencil designs on their Valentine’s biscuits.
Residents love to hear her stories and share their own. Rachel learnt that some of our residents are authors with their own books published. Therefore she made World Book Day a celebration of their achievements. Memories of favourite childhood stories were shared over a crafting session making books using a Japanese binding method.
Plans afoot for the run up to Easter
We hope to welcome some new feathered friends this month with an egg-citing project for residents. We are looking after some duck eggs in an incubator. Residents will be learning about the stages of egg development and candling. To say we cannot wait until the eggs hatch is an understatement! Those fluffy balls of springtime gorgeousness! We will look after the ducklings until they are rehomed.
We are also having an Easter Egg Treasure Hunt fundraiser for residents and their families. This is to raise money for our garden landscaping project. See our Facebook page for more information.